Airplane



y ,1931. c. RAMAKERS ET AL 1,805,722

AIRPLANE Filed June 18. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 xmxw y 1931. c. RAMAKERSET AL 05,722

AIRPLANE Filed June 18. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F ni /9 N l/ E N TOE-anus/12a A e/bake rs,- flawi CorJ/cy Patented May 19, 1931 i UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE -CORNELIUS AND DAVID B. CQJSLEY, OF LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA, 458- BIGNOBB 1'0 SOABING PLANE CORPORATION, A CORPORATION01' CALHOBHIA.

AIRPLANE per side thereof.

Application and mine,

Our invention relates to a construction for an airplane wing in which aplurality of wing elements are used.

Airplanes are supported in the air by the wings thereof, the wings beingdesigned so that the motion of the airplane through the air produces anegative pressure or partial vacuum on the upper side of the win' and aositive pressure on the lower side t ereof. e difference in thesepressures roduces an upward force which supports t e airplane. T e shapeof the wings in an airplane is thus determinative of the liftingcapacity of the ai lane. A

t is an object of our invention to provide an air lane wing of novelconstruction which provi es a greater liftin force per unit area of wingsurface than 1 e win new used. We secure this object by providing a wingwhich, as it is moved through the air, produces a greater'positiveressure on the lower surface of the wing an a greater negative pressureon the upper surface thereof.

It is another object of our invention to pro vide an airplane wing whichrequires less power to propel it through the-air than the ordinarytyplel. We secure this ob'ect by re ducin the 'ctional resistance 0 thewing with t e air.

Further advant' uctionof a wing which,'w en applied to an airplane, reuires less horse-power for driving the airp ane, permits lower landingand launching speeds, and provides greater stahilliy. V

ore specifically our invention com rehends an airplane wing which iscompose of In "such a construction it is another object of our inventionto provide a wing in'which air-currents impin ing on the forward leadingportion therco are directed, from theup per side ofthe wing throughthe'openings and are discharged on the un erside of the wing so as toproduce a positive pressure on the underside and a negative pressure onthe up- It is also an object of our invention to proincident to theaocom plishment of the a ove ob'ects are the'prb- 1929. Serial 110.51,904.

has a means for reducing the frictional resistance between the air andthe wing in e form of slotted openings on the upper and lower. surfacesthereof.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a novel wing elementin which a high ne atlve air pressure is produced on the upper siethereof b a novel means and in which friction with t e' air is greatlyreduced.

Further objects of our invention reside in the particular form ofconstruction used, as will be evidenced in the ensuin description.

Inthe attached drawings we ave shown a preferred form of our invention,but it should be understood that we are not limited to thisconstruction. In the drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a wing'of our construction as applied to anairplane showing the utility thereof.

Fig. 2 1s a plan view of two of the wing elements of our inventionshowin of overlapping to form an airp ane wing.

Fig.3 IS a partial sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

' Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the lin 4-4 of Fig. 2.

the method Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line shown in Fig. 1showing the direction of air currents therein.

Fig. 7 is a section taken the same as Fig. 3 showing the direction ofair currents therein. V i

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of the same wing as in Fig. 1 showing thedirection of air currents therein.

to provide a wing of our construction with a leading portion .11 whichconstitutes the leading one-third of the wing, thoughit As best shown inFigs; 1 and 8, we prefershould be understood that other proportions maybe used. The leading portion 11 is of the ordinary aerofoilconstruction, which includes a longitudinal spar 12 secured at one endto the fusela e 13 of the airplane and located at approxunately theforward onethird section of the wing. Supported by the spar 12 andextending forward therefrom 8&4, and 8 of the drawings. The wing elementconsists of a longitudinal supporting rib 18 which is secured at one endto the spar 12 and extends toward the rear of the lane, as best shown inFig. 1. Secured to t e rib 18 .are blade members 19 having curved upperand lower edges 20 and 21 which make the blade memberschannel-shaped,ras shown in Figs. 8 and 7. The blade members 19 aresecured to each side of the rib 18 with the channel openings facing tothe rear of the win at an angle of a proximately 45 thereto, pu

mary or short b ade members 23 being secured on one side of the rib 18and secondary or long blade members 24 being secured on the other sidethereof, the secon ary blade members 24 being up r'oximately twice thelength of the primary lade members 23. Secured between the blade members19 are web members 26 which form upper and lower slots 27 and 28 in thesurface of the wing. Secured in the upper slots 27 are fin members 29which are approximately parallel to the rib 1 8, and as clearly shown inFig. 4 have their side surfaces inclined down toward the ends of theslots.

. element so as to form a wing of the type shown in Fig. 1.

- When a wing of our OODStlUGtIOlhlS moved through the air, air currents'30 im mg ng on the forward leading portion of t e wing 11 are divided,as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, into u per air currents 31 and lower aircurrents 82 The lower air currents 82 pass under the leadin portion 11of the and impinge u on the lower edges 21 of the lads members 18, aportion 33 thereof being deflected from the lower edges 21 and anotherortion form ing rotating air currents 34 in t e lower slots 28. Due tothe lower air currents 82 striking the lower edges 21 of the blades 19at an angle, the air-currents 34 in the lower slots 28 are 'ven a slightmotion along the slots 28 and sischar d from the trailing ends thereofat an an e of approximately to the direction 0 motion of the wing. Theair is thus discharged in a series of jets which produces a reactionforce on the wing, the reaction force having a component that tends tomove the wing in a forward direction.

The n per air currents 81 impinge upon the upper'edges 20 of the blademembers 19, a portion 35 thereof being deflected, and another portionthereof formingrota'ting air currents 86 in the upper slots 27. The aircurrents 86 in the upper slots 27 are formed recurs:

into a spiral by the fins 29, which fins direct the air alon the slots27 and discharge it from the trai ing ends thereof, in a series of jetswhich produces a reaction force on the wing in the same manner as thejets from the lower slots 28. However, due to the fins 29 being in theupper slots 27, the air in these slots is not moved along the slots bythe pressure of the impinging air as is the case in the lower slots 28,but is forcibly moved along the upper slots 27 by the fins 29 thuswithdrawing the air from the upper slots 27 and forming a partial vacuumon the to of the wing in accordance with an object 0 our inventlon. I

As best shown in Fi s. 5 and 6, the air currents 36 in the slots formedbetween the primary blade members 23 of one wing element are dischargedfrom the ends thereof onto the secondary blade members 24 of an ad]acent wing element where they mingle with the currents in the slots 27between the secondary blade members 24 and are directed with the air inthese slots underneath the primer blade members 23 and thence dischargeon the under part of the win Air is thus taken from above the wing anintroduced below the wing which produces a negative pressure or partialvacuum above the wing and a positive pressure below the wing. When thisprocess of takin air from above the wing and introducing it slow thewing is once started, it is amplified by the motion of the airplane andby the currents already formed and continues to further reduce thepressure above the wing and increase the pressure below the wing. Greatlifting power is thus pro 'ded with a win of our construction, an theformation of rotating currents of air in the upper and lower slots 27and 28 of the wing element 17 eatly reduces the air friction between thewing and the air. An airplaneequipped with a wing of our construction isthus able to lift a ater weight with the same wing area an requires lesshorse-power to drive it throu h the air than when equipped with the usuat of wings.

It is obvious that various modi cations can be made in" our inventionwithout de arting from the broad spirit thereof as set orth in theappended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a wing element for an airplane wing, the combination of: wallsdefining slots in the upper surface of said wing element, said slotsbeing formed at an angle to the line of motion of said wing element; andmeans in said slots for directin .air currents impinging on the forwardlea 'ng portion of said w element along said slots and discharging saiair currents from the trailing edges thereof so as to produce a negativePressure on the upper surface of sea wing e ement.

2. In a wing element for an airplane wing the combination of: wallsdefining upper y lower slots in the upper and lower surfaces of saidwing element, said slots being formed at an angle to the line of motionof said wing element; and means in said upper slots for directing aircurrents impinging on the forward leading portion of said wing elementalong said slots and discharging said air currents from the trailingedges thereof so as to produce a negative pressure on the upper surfaceof said wing element.

3. in a wing element for an airplane wing, the combination of wallsdefining slots in the I upper surface of said wing element, said slotsbeing formed at an angle to the line of motion of said wing element; andinclined fin mar"- beis in said slots whereby air currents imping ing onthe forward leading portion of said win element are directed along saidslots and disc arged from the trailing edges thereof 20 so as to producea negative pressure on the upper surface of said wing element.

4. In a wing element for an airplane wing, the combination of: wallsdefining upper and lower slots in the upper and lower surfaces of saidwing element, said slots being formed at an angle to the line of motionof said win element; and inclined fin members in said upper slotswhereby air currents impinging on the forward leadin portion of saidwing element are directed a ong said slots and discharged from thetrailing edges thereof so as to produce a negative pressure on the uppersurface of said wing element.

5. In a wing element for an airplane wing, the combination of: asupporting member; blade members supported by said supporting member andformin slots in the upper surface of said win cement, said slots beingformed at an ang e to the line of motion of said wing element; and meansin said slots for directing air currents impinging on the forwardleading portion of said win element along said slots and dischargingsaid air currents from the trailing edges thereof so as to produce anegative pressure on the upper surface of said win element.

6. In a wing e ement for an airplane wing, the combination of: asupporting member; blade members supported by said supporting member andforming upper and lower slots in the upper and lower surfaces of saidwing element, saidslots being formed at an angle to the line of motionof said wing element; and means in said upper slots for directing aircurrents impin n on the forward leading portion of sai win element aredirected along said slots and ischarging said air currents fromithetrailing edges thereof so as to roduoe a negative pressure on the uppersurface of said wing element.

7 In a wing element for an airplane wing, the combination of: alongitudinal rib member; blade members supported by said rib member andformi slots in the upper sur- 615 face of said wing e ement, said slotsbeing formed at an angle to the line of motion of said wing element; andmeans in said slots for directing air currents impin 'ng on the forwardleadin portion of sai wing element along sai slots and discharging saidair currents from the trailing edges thereof so as to produce a negativepressure on the upper surface of said wing element.

8. In a wing element for an airplane wing, the combination of: alongitudinal rib member; blade members supported by said rib member andforming upper and lower slots in the upper and lower surfaces of saidwing element, said slots bein formed at an angle to the line of motionof said wing eleme and means in said upper slots for direct air currentsimpin 'ng on the forward be ing portion of sai wing element along saslots and dischargi g said air currents from the trailing edges tz ereofso as to produce a negative pressure the upper surface -of said wingelement.

9. In a wing elen at for an airplane wing the combination or: su portingmember; blade members suppe -"ted y said supporting member in spacedrelationship to each other; web members connecting said blade membersand providing slots in the u per surface of said wing element, saidslots being formed an angle to the line of motion of said wing element;and means in said slots whereby air currents impin 'ng on the forwardleadin portion of sai win 1 element are directed alon said slots andischarged from the trailing edges thereof so as to produce a negativepressure on the upper surface of said wing element.

10. In a wing element for an airplane wing the combination of: asupporting member; blade members supported by said supporting member inspaced relationship to each other; web members connecting said blademembers and providing upper and lowor slots in the upper and lowersurfaces of said win element, said slots being formed at an ang e to theline of motion of said wing element; and means in said upper slotswhereby air currents impinging on t e forward leading portion of saidwing element are directed along said slots and discharged from thetrailing edges thereof so as to produce a negative pressure on the uppersurface of said wing element.

11. In a wing element for an airplane wing, the combination of: wallsdefining slots in the upper surface of said wing element, said slotsbeing formed at an angle of approximately 45 to the line of motion ofsaid wing element; and means in said slots for directing air currentsimpinging on the forward leading portion of said wing element alongsaidslots and discharging said air currents from the trailing edges thereofso as to produce a ne ative pressure on the upper surface of sai wingelement.

Wing mary an 12. In a wing element for an ai lane wing, the combinationof: walls de 'n upper and lower slots in the upper an lower surfaces ofsaid wing element, said slots being formed at an angle of ap proximatelyto the line of motion of said wing-element; and means in said upperslots for 'rectin air currents impinging on the forward le ing portionof said win element along said slots and discharging sai air currentsfrom the trailing edges thereof so as to produce a negative pressure onthe upper surface of said wing element.

13. In an airplane wing, the combination of: a plurality of win elementsdisposed so as to overlap one anot er and forming openings therebetween;and means in said slots inclined to the axis thereof for directing aircurrents impinging on the forward leadin portion of said wing along saidopenings an dischargm said air currents on the under side of em win soas to produce a posltlve air pressure on t e under side of said wing anda negative pressure on the upper side thereof.

14. In an airplane wing, the combination of: a plurality of wingelements having slots in the upper surfaces thereof, primary portions ofsaid wing elements overlapping secondary ortions of other win elements;and means isposed at an inclination to the walls of said slots fordirecting air currents impin 'ng on the forward leading portion of saialong said slots between said prisecondary portions and dischar ing saidair currents on the under side of said win so as to produce a positiveair pressure on t e under side of said wi and a negative pressure on theupper side t ereof.

15. In an airplane wing, the combination of: a plurality of win elementsdisposed so as to overlap one anot er and formin openings therebetween;and means in sai openings ada ted to direct air currents im mging on t eforward leading portion 0 said wing along said openings and discharginsaid air currents on the under side of sai win so as to produce apositive air pressure on the under side of said wing and a negativepressure on the u per side thereof.

16. In an airp ane wing, the combination of: a plurality of wingelements having slots in the upper surfaces thereof, primary portions ofsaid wing elements overlapping secondary portions of other wingelements; and means in said slots for directing air currents impingingon the forward leading portion of sai wi along said slots between saidprimary an secondary portions and discharging said air currents on theunder side of said wing so as to produce a positive air pressure on theunder side of said wing and a negative pressure on the upper sidethereof.

17. In an airplane wing, the combination of: a plurality of transversesupporting said wing so as to produce a positive air pressure on theunder side of said wing and a negative pressure on the upper sidethereof.

18. In an airplane wing, the combination of: a plurality of transversesupportiig members; primary blade members secur to a side 0 saidsupporting members; secondary blade members secured to an opposite sideof said supporting members; a portion of said secondary blade membersbeing overlap d by said prima blade members said bled: members provi ingupper and lower slots in upper and lower surfaces of said wing; andmeans in said upper slots whereby air currents impin 'ng on t e forwardleading portion of sai win are directed along said u per slots and discarged on the under side oi said wing so as to produce a positive airpressure on the under side of sald win and a negative pressure on theupper si e thereof.

19. In an airplane wing, the combination of: a plurality o transversesupporting members; rimary blade members secured to a side of saidsupportin members; seconda blade members secure to an opposite si e ofsaid su porting members; a portion of said second a blade members beingoverlap ed by sai primar blade members said blade members provi ingupper and ower slots in u gslr and lower surfaces of said wing; anmembers in said upper slots whereby air currents im inging on theforward leading portion 0 said win are directed along said up or slotsand discharged on the under side of said wing so as to produce apositive air pressure on the under side of said win and a negativepressure on the upgr side t ereof.

In a wing element for an air we wing, the combination of: walls do 'ngslots in the up r surface of said wing element, said wal s being formedat an angle to the line of motion of air currents impinging upon saidsurface so that said air currents impart a rotary motion to the air insaid slots; and means in said slots inclined to the axis thereof forengaging said rotating air in said slots and directing it alon saidslots so as to discharge said air from t e trailing edges thereof andproduce a ne tive pressure on the upper surface of and wing element.

members; primary blade members secured 21. In a wing element for anairplane wing, the combination of: walls defining slots in the uppersurface of said wing element, said walls being formed at an angle to theline of motion of air currents impinging upon said upper surface so thatsaid air currents impart a rotary motion to the air in said slots; andmeans in said slots for engaging said rotating air and directing italong saidslots in a manner to discharge said air from the trailingedges thereof and produce a negative pressure on the upper surface ofsaid Wing element.

' 22. In a wing element for an airplane wing, the combination of: wallsdefining slots in the upper surface of said wing element, said wallsbeing disposed at an angle to the line of motion of air currentsimpinging upon said upper surface so that said air currents impart arotary motion to the air in said slots; and inclined fin members in saidslots adapted to engage said rotating air currents so as to dischargethem from the trailing edgesof said slots and produce a negativepressure on the upper surface of said wing element.

23. In a wing element for an airplane win the combination of: wallsdefining slots in t e upper surface of said wing element, said wallsbein formed at an angle to the line of motion o air currents impingingupon said upper surface in a manner that said air currents impart arotary motion to the air in said slots; and inclined fins disposed insaid slots and ada ted to engage said rotating air in said slots 1 hrdirecting it along said slots so as to be discharged from the trailingedges thereof, to roduce a negative pressure on the upper sur ace ofsaid wing element.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles,California, this 13th day of June, 1929.

CORNELIUS RAMAKERS. DAVID R. OARSLEY.

21. In a wing element for an airplane wing, the combination of: wallsdefining slots in the upper surface of said wing element, said wallsbeing formed at an angle to the line of motion of air currents impingingupon said upper surface so that said air currents impart a rotary motionto the air in said slots; and means in said slots for engaging saidrotating air and directing it along said slots in a manner to dischargesaid air from the trailing edges thereof and produce a negative pressureon the upper surface of said wing element.

22. In a wing element for an airplane wing, the combination of: wallsdefining slots in the upper surface of said Wing element, said wallsbeing disposed at an angle to the line of motion of air currentsimpinging upon said upper surface so that said air currents impart arotary motion to the air in said slots; and inclined fin members in saidslots adapted to engage said rotating air currents so as to dischargethem from the trailing edgesiof said slots and produce a negativepressure on the upper surface of said wing element.

23. In a wing element for an airplane win the combination of: wallsdefining slots in t e upper surface of said wing element, said wallsbein formed at an angle to the line of motion o air currents impingingupon said upper surface in a manner that said air currents impart arotary motion to the air in said slots; and inclined fins disposed insaid slots and ada ted to engage said rotating air in said slots ordirecting it along said slots so as to be discharged from the trailingedges thereof, to produce a negative pressure on the upper surface ofsaid wing element.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles,California, this 13th day of June, 1929.

CORNELIUS RAMAIUERS. DAVID R. CARSLEY.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No; l, 805, 722.

Granted May 19, 1.931, to

CORNELIUS RAMAKERS ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiringcorrection as follows:

Page 3, line 56, claim 6, strike out the words "are directed"; and thatthe said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein thatthe same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of July, A. D. 1931.

(Seal) M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,805, 722. Granted May 19, 1.931, to

CORNELIUS RAMAKERS ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3.line 56, claim 6, strike out the words "are directed"; and that the saidLetters Patent should he read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of July, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

